Life Tapestry.

Life Tapestries | Intentional Living, Faith, & Creative Reflection

Tag: christmas

  • How I Journey for Healing and Hope

    Self-reflection day! Just when a path seems clear, life introduces even greater stumbling blocks. Success, seemingly within reach, often eludes us, appearing farther away than our hopeful visions. It may seem unjust to many, yet numerous individuals have achieved remarkable feats this year. As the year draws to a close, celebrations abound for those who have conquered milestones, but there exists a handful mourning the year’s end due to debt repayment, personal failures, worries about their children’s education, and more.

    My question today is, have we gleaned valuable lessons from the experiences of this year? Do we harbor any regrets in life? Is there room for improvement that we recognize within ourselves? Are we confident enough to step into a new year with a hopeful heart, or are we still contemplating what lies ahead? I won’t deny that I’ve encountered thousands of setbacks this year, making it a challenging period filled with burdens and trials. However, I can proudly proclaim that amidst these challenges, I’ve learned the art of healing, and for that, I am grateful to God.

    As Christmas approaches, my wish is that Santa brings a better life for me and my family in the coming year. Amen!

  • What Christmas is to me!

    Today is the 23rd of December, and 18-20 years ago, my siblings and I were filled with excitement as Christmas approached. It was a time when we could celebrate at home with our parents, indulge in delicious food, and adorn ourselves in new dresses. The festivities included eagerly anticipated afternoon games where we received prizes and the frequent treat of Gur Chini (jaggery) every few hours.

    Our parents, however, were seldom present at the community ground festivities. My mom was occupied with church and community work, while my dad had his own responsibilities, making appearances during the celebration quite rare. We found solace with our second and third aunt (yet third Aunt won’t be there this year at the community ground, as she is in a better place now), who took care of us, treated us to local delicacies like Sinju, and occasionally bought special treats from the shop.

    Despite not having the opportunity to wear fancy dresses or join our friends, the bond between my sisters and me strengthened. I took on the role of the big sister, responsible for their well-being in the absence of our parents. Occasionally, our peer groups would ridicule us for not being part of the larger group or not dressing as smartly. This, along with mom’s peculiar restrictions, further distanced us from our peers.

    This Christmas tradition continued until I started my degree studies. Since then, my participation in the festivities dwindled due to exams, short holidays requiring expense savings, and later commitments in the workplace. Initially, I didn’t mind being away during Christmas, but as time passed, I started feeling homesick and longed to be with my family.

    This year, being far from home, I anticipate spending most of my time inside the four walls of my room. My prayer is that, regardless of our locations, we will welcome Christ into our hearts and let His presence dwell within us. May we learn to submit to His care and be instruments of His love, no matter the circumstances. I extend warm wishes to everyone for a Merry Christmas.

  • Sakura feeling

    OCTOBER is a month of cosmos, rhododendrons, fall, clear sky with the best moon and stars. Where the Cherry blossoms, painting the world into a mystical fantasy. The season of Halloween and the anticipation for Christmas is at its highest peak. The spirit to march forward with zeal and enthusiasm as the year is coming to an end in two months’ time. There’s no greater feeling than waiting for the winter break when I’d get to meet my family, loved ones, and friends after a year of toil. Oh, what can be better than this…

  • The last holiday!

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you celebrate holidays?
    View all responses

    If I recall back correctly, the last time I celebrated holidays with pomp and gaiety was some 15 to 18 years back. When all my family members come home together to celebrate Christmas. We don’t wear new dresses like our friends nor have money, yet we were contented. We had the love and care from our parents. We don’t have many friends yet we were friends to each other inseparable in fact. We were satisfied with the 10 or 20 rs sinju (local food- made from mixed vegetables and fermented fish). Gone were the days where we look forward for the small prices we got from games we played during the Christmas celebration. The prizes that we’d received from the bible exam we participated. It’s been years now to be back home altogether as we (4 siblings) are home very rarely.